Edward Litt Laman Blanchard

Edward Litt Leman Blanchard, often referred to as E. L. Blanchard (11 December 1820 – 4 September 1889), was an English writer who is best known for his contributions to the Drury Lane pantomime. He began writing plays and other literature to support himself as a teenager after his father died. A succession of pantomimes supplied by him to one or other of the minor theatres, under the nom de plume of Francisco Frost, soon acquired for him a reputation as the contriver of these dramatic whimsicalities. He soon became a prolific creator of dramas and eventually gained critical acclaim for his works. He also served as a newspaper drama critic and mentored other writers.